Midget watched Lilith and Hagget drive away until their vehicle was nothing more than a diminished smudge against the sandy backdrop of the Arid Badlands. He was pissed off. That damn mercenary was just too nosy. She already knew too much as it was; he wasn't about to let her in on any more secrets. Yet he also regretted their rough parting. Somehow, they had put aside their differences long enough to keep each other from dying; they should have taken leave of each other on more amicable terms. And that pissed him off even more.
Midget shook his head and turned back into camp. He picked up his pace to a trot. Time was wasting. There was a gale storm closing in and he needed to make sure the camp was buttoned down. The wind was picking up already and throwing grit around. He pulled up his mask and googles.
He checked in at the eastern tower and called up to the lookout. "How's it looking? How long we got?"
The lookout swung his head towards him and shouted, "maybe two hours, more likely just one. It's coming on fast Gideon!"
Midget nodded and gestured, "when it reaches the bluffs, come down and take cover!" The lookout touched his forehead in acknowledgement and Midget headed into the center of camp to find Doc Marty. He sprinted a zigzag course, clambering on top of roofs, sheds and barrels, anywhere he could command attention, while he called out warnings, "A gale storm approaches! Secure your belongings. Take cover! Get to the nearest bunker!"
In his wake was a flurry of activity as the rebel encampment galvanized itself to withstand the wind storm.
He found Doc Marty in his med hut, all in a tizzy, barking orders at poor Fendrel, while he darted to and fro packing up his fragile medical equipment. Midget and Fendrel grimaced at each other in sympathy. Midget waited for the doctor to acknowledge his presence, then realized it wasn't gonna happen as the Doc hurried around in panic mode.
"Doc! We gotta move the explosives ASAP." Midget finally blurted out.
"What! Now? Can't it wait til after the storm?! Can't you see my instruments are in imminent peril of being destroyed?" Doc Marty pushed past him and rapidly plucked glassware off a shelf.
Midget slapped his hand on the shelf hard enough to rattle the remaining bottles. Doc Marty stopped and stared at him. "Of course not! I mean after the storm! But we gotta relocate it. All of it. Away from the camp. I can't risk having the Merc blow this all wide open. She knows we're loaded. She's not stupid. I should have never brought her here. She could report us.., or even worse." Midget banged his head against the wall for his stupidity.
Doc Marty grabbed Midget by both arms. "Gideon! Your Merc ain't gonna betray us. She saved your life. I saw the look in her face when we were talking and showing her the camp. Trust your gut.., and trust me too! She ain't no company whore! She'll keep our secret."
Midget stared at him and wrestled with his misgivings. He wanted to believe Doc Marty. He felt deep inside that he trusted her, but he also felt foolish and weak for it. And then there was her reaction to them having the explosives. "And what about our plan? Suppose she thinks she has to stop us?"
The doctor shook his head. "I don't know, Gideon. Is it even worth risking? Maybe we should let it go and just be satisfied with what we have here and now."
Midget wrenched his arms loose and backed away a few steps. "You too? So willing to settle with the remnants of what we were? I thought you were with me on this Marty."
Doc Marty glanced at Fendrel and sighed sadly, "I am Gideon, I am. But sometimes I wonder if it's gonna work. I wonder if it's even possible." He turned back to his vials and flasks. Fendrel rushed to him with an armful of blankets. Together they began using them to wrap up equipment. The wind gusted hard and whistled through the open seams of the hut.
Midget regarded them intently. "It will Marty. And I'm willing to risk my life for it," Fendrel sent him an worshipful glance, which didn't pass unnoticed by the doctor. Midget headed for the door and said, "I hope you're right about the Merc, but after the storm, we're still moving it all out. She's right on one thing, keeping it here puts us all in danger."
"We'll rendezvous at the central bunker," Doc Marty yelled after him. Midget sent a thumbs up as he ran outside into the gathering storm.
Midget checked the Tri-Natrotoluene stacks. There were three of them in the camp; one was centrally located, and the others were on south and west ends. He dashed to the westernmost and ensured it was tightly tarped down. The southern cache needed shoring up; its cover was nearly off and flapping wildly in the gathering gale. He wrested it from the wind's grip and secured it back into place. As he trotted towards the last one, the camp around him seemed empty; everyone was hunkered down in the underground bunkers.
He neared the center of the camp and saw Ace hurrying towards him. "Gideon! There's a problem with one of the bunkers!" Ace pulled him towards an alley shortcut.
Midget pulled free, "Hold on, I gotta check something." He could see that the covering on the explosives was in place, but he wanted to check firsthand, just like the others. Ace waited behind as he crossed the small clearing.
A bandit suddenly bolted from behind the stack. "Hey!" Midget yelled and darted towards him. The bandit shot a glance at him and kept running. He was holding a device in his hand that could only be one thing.
"He's got a detonator!" Midget shrieked and nearly flipped into psycho mode. If the bandit got far enough away, he would surely trigger the explosives.
Suddenly a Bruiser burst out of a shack as the bandit ran by and caught him up in a bear hug.
"Mother of Pandora! Big Bam!" Midget exclaimed in relief. Big Bam squeezed the bandit tighter and turned towards Midget. His mouth dropped open in surprise.
Gunfire split the air and the bandit writhed as blood gouted from the bullet wound that appeared in his neck. His hand spasmed around the detonator.
"I got him!" Ace screamed.
The world around Midget exploded into white.